Under the terms of the agreement, Teva will market each transdermal drug delivery system and will pay TransPharma milestone and royalty payments as well as development costs.
TransPharma's RF cell ablation technology creates micro-channels in the skin's outer surface and enables transdermal delivery of drugs that cannot be delivered using previously existing technologies.
This enables a wide variety of small molecules, biotech drug molecules, vaccines and other macromolecules, specially formulated in patches, to pass through the skin barrier at therapeutic levels and into the systemic circulation. This patented technology is employed in TransPharma's drug delivery system, ViaDerm, which enables drug delivery through the skin.
The technology consists of a reusable battery-operated handheld device and a patch containing a drug. RF-MicroChannel drug delivery is ideally suited for drugs that must be injected, as well as for a variety of orally delivered drugs with poor bioavailability. These include polypeptides and other large molecules, small molecules, including existing transdermal drugs, regional and topical applications, and enhanced immunization programs.
"This strategic partnership has the potential to bring to the market a system that enables transdermal delivery of complex drugs such as high molecular weight proteins," said Dr Daphna Heffetz, CEO of TransPharma.
Dr Aharon Schwartz, Teva's vice president of strategic business planning & new ventures responded by saying: "Transdermal delivery of therapeutic proteins has always been an important objective, which may provide patients with a convenient replacement to injections."
"With TransPharma's technology, Teva will bring to the market added value biogenerics," he added.